CUHK
News Centre

The Shiu-Ying Hu Herbarium of the School of Life Sciences at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) recently organised the 13^th Shiu-Ying Hu Day, an annual event celebrating the legacy of Professor Shiu-Ying Hu and her remarkable contributions to botanical research. Each year, the event adopts a different theme to promote botanical education and research. This year’s theme centred on botanical art, featuring a discussion session on botanical art, a painting demonstration and the award ceremony for the Botanical Art Competition 2025. The event drew over 100 participants, including botanical artists from around the world, botanists, primary and secondary school students and members of the public, fostering a diverse exchange of ideas and creativity as well as showcasing the intersection of art and science in botany.

Dr David Lau Tai-wai, Curator of the Herbarium, delivered a welcome speech at the event. He expressed gratitude to competition participants for their support and noted the increasing number of international participants in recent years, highlighting the competition’s evolution into a prestigious platform for showcasing botanical artistry. Dr Lau also shared insights into the artistic journeys of master botanical illustrators Mr Zeng Xiaolian and Mr Ma Ping, emphasising how they discovered peace of mind and joy through botanical illustration. He encouraged the public to explore the meaning and enjoyment of botanical art through painting.

The discussion on botanical art was hosted by Dr Lau, botanical illustrator Ms Mimi Wong and Russian botanical artist Ms Maria Oktyabrskaya, who was the champion of the Botanical Art Competition 2024 in the open category. Ms Oktyabrskaya shared her journey in botanical art and remarked on its growing popularity in Russia, with the emergence of more societies and events dedicated to the field. She also expressed her excitement about the thriving development of scientific illustration.

During the live demonstration, Ms Oktyabrskaya painted a magnolia using acrylics, impressing the audience with her distinctive techniques. This interactive session provided attendees with a close-up look at the creative process behind botanical illustration.

The highlight of the day was the award ceremony for the Botanical Art Competition 2025. Recognised as an important platform for popular science, education and research, the competition is committed to nurturing talent in scientific botanical illustration while raising public awareness of botanical illustration, further promoting its development. This year, the competition received over 700 entries from Hong Kong and more than 17 other countries and regions, with participation from 122 schools and art studios, demonstrating the passion for botanical art among both local and international communities.